Filling Critical Position

One of my clients had difficulty finding a vice president to lead a new division of his company. This was a critical position, and not filling it grew into a critical problem. They were devoting a large amount of energy and commitment to developing a new niche, and each passing month without someone to run that new division meant that they were losing ground and marketshare.

“Scott, I am so frustrated,” he told me. “By the time I find these rare candidates and get them to meet with me, they seem to lose interest in the opportunity and end up taking another position. How can I get them more excited about joining our company?”

We talked for a few moments about his hiring process, how he obtains new candidate resumes, and how he interviews them. “How much time goes by from the first time you read their resume to the time that you meet with them for the first interview?” I asked.

“Well, usually just a few weeks pass before I have time to meet with them. I travel a lot and my schedule is full.”

“How many weeks is it then, on average?” I asked.

“Four, maybe five weeks. Sometimes six or seven,” he responded.

“Let me ask you this, Steve. If your best client called you and told you that he needed you to fly to Chicago tomorrow, would you be able to make your client’s request fit in your schedule?”

“Of course. I’d make the time. He’s a client,” he replied.

“Then you need to start treating your prospective employees like clients. What you’re telling me is that you are frustrated because the candidates lose interest. What you are telling them through your actions is that they are not important to you because you take so long to move forward with them. I don’t blame them for losing interest and exploring other opportunities. If you wait as long as two or three or four weeks to meet with a prospective employee, you are opening yourself up to variables beyond your control which can take the candidate out of the contention for the position.”

I went on to share with him these three common pitfalls of most employers when it comes to securing talent for critical positions.

First, they delegate ownership of filling the position to another department like human resources. Human Resources may be good for broad sweeps of talent and routine hires, but for critical positions it is the line manager or department head who is the closest to that position who is the best source for securing the talent. Filling critical positions takes more than filling out a requisition form and submitting it to another department. Own it like any other critical project. Set target dates, scopes of responsibility, expectations from other parties involved, and action lists to find and acquire the talent.

Second, they lose momentum in the rhythm of the search. By treating your candidates like prospective clients you make them a priority. You should make first contact within twenty-four hours of seeing his or her resume. You should set up the first meeting within the next five business days. Schedule the second interview at the end of your first interview, and set it up within two to five business days and keep the flow of the search moving swiftly. Keep it moving forward with deliberation because you never know when your competitor will make an offer to the candidate.

Third, they don’t understand that the hiring game is a relationship game. Relationships are built on frequency of contact. The more contact you have with the prospective candidate, the more of a relationship you are building. Just like developing a client, you want to engage in a series of positive meetings and interactions with the candidates through email, phone calls, letters, and meetings.

Make a commitment to avoid these pitfalls and see how much easier it is to acquire the best talent for your most important positions.

Scott Love shows managers and sales people how to manage their risk and win the game of business. He is a professional speaker and can be reached at 828-225-7700 or on his website at www.nolimitachievement.com